Traffic stop results in juvenile cited for drugs

Lebanon police cited a juvenile with drug charges following a traffic stop late Friday night.

According to police, officers on routine patrol noticed a vehicle with no headlights heading southbound on North Cumberland Street near Rogers around 10:30 p.m.

After stopping the car, an officer asked the driver for their license, but was told they did not have one. Five juveniles were inside the car.

The officer then requested for the K-9 unit to respond to the scene.

Officers next asked the owner of the vehicle, who was in the front passenger seat, to step out and speak with him.

Police said that when the K-9 arrived, it alerted on an open-air search of the vehicle detecting an odor of drugs near the back driver-side door.

Officers then searched the vehicle and found a backpack in the trunk near the driver side corner. They said inside the backpack they found two large bags of a “green leafy substance” believed to be marijuana totaling 5.9 ounces, 15 empty clear sandwich bags, a black digital scale and gym clothes.

Officers said there were also two 12-packs of strawberry Lime-A-Ritas in the trunk in plain view.

Police took the juveniles to the police department for further questioning. All the juveniles’ parents were contacted and asked to respond to the Lebanon Police Department.

Police said once the parents arrived the juveniles were read their Miranda Rights in front of their parents and questioned about the marijuana, contents of the backpack and alcohol.

Police said following the questioning they found the backpack and contents to have belonged to one person.

Only one of the juveniles was cited for possession of schedule VI narcotics with intent for resale, drug paraphernalia and possession of alcohol under age 21.